It is always interesting to me the number of high profile rods that fail to live up to the advertising and hyperbole, and how many wonderful sticks seem to fall through the cracks. I like to refer to a lot of them as "blue collar" rods since they tend to be lower price point rods, or labeled as "entry level" (whatever that means.)
Far and away the most seriously underrated rod I've come across is my St. Croix Imperial 9140. A friend gave me this rod about a year ago claiming he had no use for something this long and heavy, and he didn't feel it was worth his time to try and sell. When I took a few lines down to the river to try on it I was absolutely blown away. Not only at it's power and performance, but by how smooth and easy it was. This rod is fairly fast and very powerful, with a reasonably heavy tip progressing into a stiff butt section. Despite being a powerhouse, it is extremely user friendly and will accommodate a wide range of line types and casting styles. I've been fishing it with a 10/11 Delta Spey, and it's proved to be an unparallelled combination for drilling holes in the wind with bigger flies. It is reasonably light in the hand and comfortable to fish all day. It has also handled the biggest fish the Clearwater has to offer with ease. About the only thing I don't like is the overly short bottom grip which feels very odd to me. Scandi and Skagit casters however will likely feel right at home. If you're looking for an affordable cannon, don't overlook these rods on the used market. They are hard to beat.
So how many folks out there have a great performing stick or two that has been underrated or over looked by the spey casting community at large?
Far and away the most seriously underrated rod I've come across is my St. Croix Imperial 9140. A friend gave me this rod about a year ago claiming he had no use for something this long and heavy, and he didn't feel it was worth his time to try and sell. When I took a few lines down to the river to try on it I was absolutely blown away. Not only at it's power and performance, but by how smooth and easy it was. This rod is fairly fast and very powerful, with a reasonably heavy tip progressing into a stiff butt section. Despite being a powerhouse, it is extremely user friendly and will accommodate a wide range of line types and casting styles. I've been fishing it with a 10/11 Delta Spey, and it's proved to be an unparallelled combination for drilling holes in the wind with bigger flies. It is reasonably light in the hand and comfortable to fish all day. It has also handled the biggest fish the Clearwater has to offer with ease. About the only thing I don't like is the overly short bottom grip which feels very odd to me. Scandi and Skagit casters however will likely feel right at home. If you're looking for an affordable cannon, don't overlook these rods on the used market. They are hard to beat.
So how many folks out there have a great performing stick or two that has been underrated or over looked by the spey casting community at large?